PRESS COVERAGE – REVIEWS
THE RIGHT PLACE FOR RELAXING
Evening Chronicle, October 3 2008
KICK back, unwind and enjoy! That’s the motto at Caféantipasto – so that’s exactly what we decided to do.
We ventured there on Wednesday and, lo and behold, it just happened to be Mojito night, so who were we to argue, with me enjoying a classic Mojito and my partner indulging in the Victorian variety. OK, we waited until after our meal to have them, but with this place you can just venture in and enjoy a drink in the bar area without stopping for food. By doing that, though, you would be missing out on a treat.
Caféantipasto prides itself on being a “laid-back retreat” and it certainly is a sociable eatery, with the menu designed around small dishes (piattini), although you can have main meals of pasta and pizza if you prefer.
We started the night with a 10-inch pizza garlic bread with tomato and chilli (£3.60). It was incredibly light, lifted perfectly by the light dusting of chilli.
Out piattini was an eclectic mix, just the way it should be. The spiedini di pollo (£3.95) is a wonderful combination of chicken breast skewers wrapped in sage, sealed and cooked under the grill. Very tasty. As is the cozze pepate (£3.85), mussels cooked in garlic, chilli, tomato and white wine.
When it comes to vegetarian options, the cafe boasts one of the broadest range of choices in the city, with more than a dozen plates to whet your appetite. We enjoyed the polenta al funghi (£3.40), although did feel it was slightly over-cooked. It went well with the accompanying chilli mayonnaise though. Still on the subject of mushrooms, the funghi al aglio (garlic mushrooms) was to die for. At £3.40, they were packed with flavour, and while I write this the following morning, I can still taste them in my mouth (not so good for those around me!).
One of the ‘problems’ with piattini is knowing how much to order – will the portions be so small you need loads, or so big you end up leaving lots? We were told about three dishes each would be about right, so we decided to order seven between us just in case!
It was a toss-up between the frittata Italiana (caramelised onion and potato mix, topped with green pesto, roasted butternut squash with Taleggio cheese and rocket, £4) and the verdure grigliate (char-grilled aubergine, courgettes, mixed peppers, goat’s cheese and pesto, £4). We opted for the former, and it was melt-in-the-mouth delicious. As was the raviloli prosciutto (£3.30), my favourite dish of the night, comprising fresh parma ham ravioli in a garlic and herb cream sauce. It rates as one of my tastiest pastas in years.
With the pasta I also had the pizza piccante (£3.45), and the mix of flavours of the ravioli with the pizza’s pepperoni and jalapenos made me a very happy chappy indeed.
Our choice of seven meals was a good one as we still had room for dessert. I had a, thankfully, not-too-sweet hazelnut parfait (£3.95), while my partner found the beckleberrys sticky toffee pudding (£3.95), a little bland.
Throughout the meal we enjoyed a bottle of Marchesini Pinot Grigio (£15), ending the night with those Mojitos – it’s called Mojito Wednesday as the drinks are discounted.
Manager James Cowey has succeeded in creating a meeting place with good food and a relaxed atmosphere where you do indeed unwind and enjoy.
Caféantipasto
217-219 Jesmond Road, Jesmond, Newcastle
Tel: (0191) 281 2111
www.cafeantipasto.com, e-mail info@cafeantipasto.com
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WWW.ITCHYNOTTINGHAM.CO.UK
October 2008
When you're on your way to the only rooftop bar in Nottingham, you can guarantee you'll already have high (no pun intended) expectations. When you learn that it was also listed as number one in the Sunday Observer's guide to Europe's 30 best rooftop drinking spaces, then your expectations instantly hit the roof (ok, pun intended).
We at Itchy decided to check out The Saltwater Rooftop Bar and Restaurant for ourselves and were pleased that our goliath expectations were well met. The first impression on a busy night is that you might be eating while unable to hear yourself think (or your companion speak/eat, whichever one you have to put up with), but once you pass through the lively entrance and bar area, the dining area offers a quieter and more secluded haven in which to enjoy your food.
The staff are friendly, well dressed and are able to pay you plenty of attention; in a relatively small yet well utilised dining area. Views from the famous rooftop bar abound with elegant windows on one side of the restaurant. The impressive selection of drinks, along with the extensive and superb cocktail list make up for any background noise heard from the bar. The menu reads for a nice surprise, with dishes such as tender pink-breast of duck and lemon pepper fried market fish. The Saltwater does not offer your average bar food in the slightest and the portions are plentiful, so don't worry if you've got an appetite. The selection of drinks makes this a brilliant stand-alone bar, even if you're not hungry.
In short, this is a great place to (quite literally) get away from the rest of the town and have a night overlooking Nottingham's skyline.
For more information see: www.saltwater-restaurant.com. Tel: 0115 924 2664 Saltwater
The Corner House
Forman Street
NG1 4AA
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Café Antipasto
Lifestyle, September 2008
Ranked 49th best UK restaurant operator in Restaurant Magazine’s inaugural R100 list, Aquaclear Leisure Ltd manages an eclectic portfolio of nine award-winning venues, including Popolo, San Lorenzo and Blue Coyote, spread across the North East, Sheffield and Nottingham.
One of its newest investments, CaféAntipasto, is in the heart of Jesmond, but is more akin to the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Paris or Rome. A bustling café during the day, it happily serves international coffees with breakfasts and light bites, before taking on a more sleek and sophisticated vibe from midday, to serve a unique restaurant menu and a wide selection of alcoholic drinks.
Available daily until 10pm or 6pm Sundays, CafeAntipasto’s distinctive food offering is unlike any you will find in the area and gives diners the opportunity to try a range of different dishes without being restricted by portion or price.
Its menu is based on an array of small dishes, known as Piattini, from which you can choose as few or as many foods as you fancy at the time. Options range from meat dishes, like Italian beef stew braised in red wine with baby onions and pancetta, to fish selections such as pan-fried tiger prawns or spiced chilli salted squid.
For veggies there are 21 different dishes to choose from, including risotto balls filled with porcini mushrooms and peas or char-grilled aubergine, courgettes, and mixed peppers, topped with goat’s cheese and pesto.
Rather unusually CafeAntipasto also offers a variety of authentic Italian pizza and pasta dishes, which can be enjoyed as part of your Piattini selection or in a larger individual portion if preferred.
This special dining experience is perfect for couples or individuals who like to tantalise their taste buds with a range of flavours, and is especially suited to larger groups who can order a range of dishes to share. Two different set selections of the restaurant’s most popular dishes are available for groups of four people or more.
For individual diners, the restaurant offers a daily happy-hour from 5pm – 7pm, which includes £1 off every large pizza or pasta dish, with a separate two course special running Monday to Thursday for only £6.95.
Thanks to a licence change you can now simply drink at CafeAntipasto from 9am until midnight without having to order food; a great way to escape another night as a couch potato or having to travel into the city centre.
As with its big brother, Popolo, the drinks range at Cafeantipasto is superb. Wine, champagne, cider, draught and bottled beers and a variety of spirits and liqueurs are all on offer, with a selection of cocktails and pitchers if you want to continue the sharing theme.
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POPOLO’S COOL…EVEN ON THE MUGGIEST SUMMER EVENING
Sheffield Telegraph, Friday 1 August 2008
RESTAURANTS in Sheffield are becoming rather like the proverbial buses – they all come along at once. Nothing wrong with that, of course, if it means greater choice, but you can have too much of a good thing. Take Leopold Square, for example.
This latest architectural and cultural showcase combines historical and contemporary features in a seamless blend of good taste – in all senses of the phrase. But with just eight units to fill, it's puzzling that three of them specialise in Italian cuisine.
Things got off to a great start with Platillos, the independent tapas bar, which opened a year ago. After a bumpy beginning, the Leopold boutique hotel took a firm grip of its niche market and now offers stylish fine dining in unique surroundings. Upmarket pizza and pasta chain, Zizzi, set the Italian standard in October, quickly followed by Strada, right next door – which, curiously, replaced the planned Ortega tapas bar at the 11th hour because owners Tragus feared it might clash with Spanish-style Platillos.
Since then the square has welcomed Indian Aagrah, Japanese noodle chain Wagamama and independent piano bar Sylvesters. The mix has now been completed with the opening of Popolo, yet another Italian-themed chain.
We can be forgiven, then, for a slight lack of enthusiasm at the prospect of sampling its delights. More pizza? More pasta? More pollo and pesci? But Popolo somehow manages to pull it off.
The differences are subtle, but they are there – in the menu and more obviously in the ambience. Popolo is clearly aimed at the younger market, with warehouse-style urban chic.
"That's a hard-looking chair," remarks my companion.
"It's cool!" says 20-year-old daughter.
"Is this house or garage music?" I ask (making an attempt at 'cool' myself).
"It's rubbish!" I'm told loftily... but the metal ducting, exposed brickwork, bare lightbulbs and neon 'toilet' sign meet approval, along with the black and silver colour scheme, leather booths and Italian film posters on the walls.
The restaurant occupies the first floor of the venue while underneath is a horseshoe bar where cocktails are a speciality. Mojito Wednesday – actually every Wednesday – offers a range of 12 mojitos, perked up with everything from fruit to spirits, at £3.95 each.
That may well explain why the place is popping at the seams when we arrive, on a muggy evening after work, to find the Square positively buzzing. It's great to see Sheffield embracing the al fresco scene at last and we settle down to enjoy it until being shooed upstairs to eat.
The restaurant manager (the improbably-named Jonny Montecarlo) gives us the low-down on the place. It's the second Popolo run by Newcastle-based leisure group Aquaclear but, refreshingly, it lacks the 'chain' mentality.
Head chef Paul Tannsley has complete control of the menu, which will change regularly once he gets a feel for what Sheffield customers want. And everything is made on the premises – right down to the bread.
The menu is pretty standard as Italian restaurants go: soups and antipasto, salads, pizzas, pasta, a range of fish and meat dishes and a few quirky twists.
The wine list won't win any prizes for originality, but there's plenty of choice around the £13 mark, with house red at £12.50. We share a quaffable bottle of Chilean merlot (£13), served at the perfect temperature, and await our starters. Bread and olives are £3.95 extra.
Polpettoni (spicy meatballs) are dense and meaty, though lacking the promised spice... which turns up instead in the accompanying pomodorro sauce – different! But good.
Curls of calamari are pleasantly tender (thankfully not the chewy rubber-bands that give the dish a bad name), braised in a piquant sauce of tomato and white wine perked up with saffron and rosemary.
The younger member of our party goes for a traditional Caprese salad of rather wet buffalo mozzarella ("a bit like cold scrambled egg") with sweet, ripe tomatoes and balsamic dressing. She follows that, naturally, with pizza pollo Caesar – topped with pieces of chicken, stringy mozzarella, Parmesan shavings and a veritable forest of dressed leaves.
Pollo Kiev is an inside-out version of the classic dish. Breaded chicken breast is fried in garlic butter and artfully presented with tangy chilli jam and swirls of aged balsamic syrup. It's a substantial helping even without veg or potatoes.
The kitchen had run out of tuna so, eager to make amends, I was offered a choice of pollock or salmon with mussels and prawns thrown in for good measure. Too good to miss! Pollock can be downright boring, but it's amazing what a few big, juicy prawns can do. It comes with the traditional Niçoise salad of new potatoes, cherry tomatoes, green beans, red onion, olives and anchovies. Just the job on a warm, muggy evening.
My obliging companions polish off a baked cheesecake, with a jellified raspberry topping and an unimpressively soggy base, and a deliciously light bread and butter pudding made of pannetone spiked with a citrus tang of candied orange peel.
We finish with excellent coffee. Dinner for three, excluding wine and service, is £59.40.
Verdict: Italian chain with an independent mentality. One of three options for those who choose to eat Italian in classy Leopold Square – hotly tipped to appeal to the younger set.
Open: from noon until midnight Mon, Tue, Sun, 1am Wednesday, 2am Thur-Sat.
Popolo bar, lounge & kitchen, Leopold Square, Sheffield (0114) 2758405
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CAFÉANTIPASTO PUTS AN ACCENT ON QUALITY AND STYLE
The Grammar, August 2008
On entering Café Antipasto I was first struck by the casual and very trendy feel of the interior. The restaurant claims to be ‘a laidback retreat for people to eat, drink, relax and generally be at one with friends and family” and I definitely thought the interior supported this.
The mixture of contemporary furniture and the traditional exposed wooden beams and large black and white images printed on the walls made the place seem comfortable and chic. The subdued lights and individual candles on ach table added atmosphere and character.
We were seated and offered drinks in the waiting area while our table was prepared and just had time for a quick look at the menu before we were taken up a small flight of stairs to the higher seating level.
The restaurant has quite an unusual layout and makes use of the limited space by having three different seating levels. The space still feels very open with the levels overlooking each other. In fact, instead of feeling exposed, I think this makes you feel a lot more included and involved with the restaurant as a whole rather than being confined to your own table.
Café Antipasto’s menu is designed around small dishes called Piattini, which are a bit like the Italian form of tapas. The menu is divided into easy-to-navigate sections, separating the meat, fish, veggie, pasta and pizza dishes into simple and easy-to-understand sub-sections. There are about 50 dishes to choose from so we were very thankful “sharing deals” section at the side of the menu, which offers pre-selected food packages that you can order if you don’t fancy selecting your own combination of dishes.
Noting that the deals for two people contained about 10 different items, we ordered a selection of dishes from the extensive menu. Obviously with much more exciting names they were char-grilled beef skewers in tomato sauce, marinated chicken breast skewers, pan-fried tiger prawns sautéed in garlic butter, a selection of cheeses, penne carbonara, penne Bolognese, ravioli prosciutto and a margherita pizza.
The food arrived in good time, not rapid enough to feel rushed and unwanted but not too slow that we began to get impatient. The food is served in a fantastic looking tree-frame, with each item in its own separate dish. The portion sizes weren’t that large, with only three of each skewer and prawns – not the best for sharing between two but it works out if you have two types of skewers or have a particular favourite.
Spoilt for choice I decided to first try the Spiedini di Manzo – beef skewers in tomato sauce. The meat was delicious and well cooked and definitely complimented by the sauce. The chicken skewers were just as good, a perfect mouthful size to allow you a taste of each dish. The pastas were definitely the best for portion size with the dishes full to the brim of each. All tasted delicious and were very filling.
The prawns were very tasty and went well with the sauce. The pizza was only 6” which I thought was a perfect size when you have eight dishes of food and just fancy a taste of the good old cheese and tomato. Both meat and cheese platters were a good size and not only delicious but attractively presented – always a plus.
Eating your way through nearly ten plates of food leaves you feeling satisfied, even when the portions are small, but I still had enough room for dessert! The Baileys white chocolate cheesecake was ordered and, although we couldn’t manage much, it tasted just as good as everything else.
Overall I thought Café Antipasto was a brilliant place with amazing food. I think one of the only downfalls is that the price might be a little steep for students on a budget considering the food-to-price ratio, but for a delicious meal it’s certainly a great place to go. The ‘sharing deals’ section also advises combinations for a set price if you want to eat there for a limited price.
Café Antipasto also boasts a great breakfast menu, with large and smaller-sized breakfasts, or for lunch you could try a Panini or take advantage of their £5 lunchtime meal deal. I’m looking forward to trying the pancakes.
Cafeantipasto - 217-219 Jesmond Road, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Tel: 0191 281 2111.
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All the favourites at Lorenzo's new place!
The Evening Chronicle - Eating Out - 11 th May 2007
For the past few years, San Lorenzo restaurant has been one of the highlights of the eateries along Gosforth High Street.
Now the chain has expanded to Cramlington where it has opened in the village area's Old Church .
Eating Out went along last weekend for a quick sample of what it had to offer just days before it opened to the public and we are pleased to say it looks set to maintain the high standards we have come to expect from the San Lorenzo team.
Alessandro Calista, the general manager at San Lorenzo Gosforth and the new Cramlington site, says: "Not only are we replicating our winning formula of mouth-watering traditional home-made Italian food with an honest and friendly service by opening a San Lorenzo in Cramlington, we've also opened a new bar below the restaurant taking full advantage of our expertise gained from owning venues such as Popolo (Newcastle) and Saltwater (Nottingham)."
All your Italian favourites are there, and the taster nights that we ventured to should have ironed out any rough edges.
First impressions A good space with a trendy bar at the front and full-blown Italiana behind.
Welcome Warm and attentive.
Style, design and furnishings Designer rustic plaster and brick, with bottles and amphora to underscore the point. Dark wood tables and chairs, simple settings and jolly music. Relaxed and friendly.
Cuisine I think you know by now.
Wine Marchesini 2006, a very young Pinot grigio that needed more chilling to show itself off in its best light.
Service The waiters' natural charm and easy style struck the right professional/personal balance.
Value Three courses, wine and coffee at £41.75 has to be good value.
Parking Pay and display parking behind the shops or you might be lucky on the side streets.
Disabled facilities Fully accessible.
Look out for a review of San Lorenzo in Eating Out in the coming weeks.
San Lorenzo Gosforth
The Evening Chronicle - Review by Mitya Underwood– 6 th April 2007
When my best friend rang me to say she needed a bit of TLC and a good feed, we were spoiled for choice. As it was only 6pm and we didn't want anywhere too swanky, dimmed lights and romantic music wasn't what we were after. So we had a wander along Gosforth High Street and stumbled across Italian restaurant San Lorenzo.
Formerly Made In Italy, it was taken over two years ago by Aquaclear Leisure, who have successfully turned it into a bustling, friendly, inexpensive eaterie. From past experience, I've found that arriving at a restaurant in the early evening isn't always looked upon favourably. Some places seem to want to hurry you along so all their tables are free for the evening rush. It's different if you have children in tow - at least you look like you have an excuse. But this wasn't the case in San Lorenzo . The staff couldn't have been more pleased to see us, and the place was already starting to fill up.
The decor is very typical of Italian restaurants, colourful with a distinct rustic feel. It feels warm, light and has a very friendly atmosphere. After settling down at our table, we delved into the wine list. There was a great selection of bottles, with prices and flavours to suit everybody. We bypassed the tempting champers and decided on a trusted bottle of rosé Pinot Grigio.
With a usual selection of starters including mussels and salads, we picked probably the two most filling starters available. I decided on the mozzarella Francese and my friend chose the spicy calamari fritti. She decided to be awkward and ask for her spicy starter to be served without the spice but this wasn't a problem at all.
And again, back to my theory of being on an early evening conveyor belt - the food wasn't on our table within seconds ready for us to wolf down and move on to a main, it arrived after 10 or so minutes and was presented beautifully.
The breaded mozzarella was an unusual but tasty twist on the normal mozzarella salad, and the non-spicy calamari went down a treat. By this time, we had drunk a few glasses of wine (I was empathising), and we were spoilt for choice on mains. There was pasta, pizza, fish, and chicken. I picked the ravioli funghi and my dinner date fancied the cannelloni ricotta. My ravioli, dressed with truffle oil, was gorgeous. Like the starters, the portions were perfectly sized and the flavour was intense. The cannelloni ricotta was just how it should be, creamy, hot and comforting.
Another of my bugbears in restaurants is over-enthusiastic waiters with poor and awkward banter. There wasn't a sniff of this in San Lorenzo . The staff were friendly yet professional, and not too in-your-face like some can be.
The bill came to a mere £36.85. Unbeknown to us, it was happy hour and £1 had been knocked off both mains. This was just an added bonus to a fabulous meal in a lovely restaurant - at any time of the day!
If the world's a stage, San Lorenzo is the star Feb 9 2007 By The Journal
The other night I was reminded of Shakespeare's description of the world as a stage and us lot as players strutting our stuff.
It was when I stepped off rain-lashed Gosforth High Street into San Lorenzo and was instantly transported to another world.
Moving through the under-lit cool of the bar, we entered a rustic Italian scene where a party was in full flow. A warm burble of conversation spun around the tables, lively music batted along in the background while waiters whisked back and forth, stopping only to deliver plates and offer extra pepper from one of those comedy mills.
We were given a table in the heart of the goings on, with bread and a bottle of wine to start things off. The menu carried a myriad of pizza-pasta dishes with every combination under the sun on offer and very reasonably priced, which went some way towards explaining why, even on this mid-week night, the place was buzzing.
We scampered past these and other temptations until I spotted one of my favourites, Gamberoni Provenciale. My companion was gazing across the room at the specials blackboard, one of the many advantages of long-sight, and had chosen a chicken main course and spiced aubergine soup with red pepper cream to start. Not having such gifts, I was happy to choose my starter of Funghi All'Aglio from the menu before me.
A glass of almost chilled pinot grigio filled the short space before our first courses arrived.
My bowlful of mushrooms, laced with mild garlicky butter that was made for the bread, was a meal in itself. Taking care to leave space for the prawns, I sampled just enough to get the full experience without the full feeling.
After a while, I wished there had been a mix of mushrooms because, to be honest, one button mushroom tastes pretty much like the next and a few shitake or porcini would have added interest.
My companion's soup was an unusual idea. The glossy purple aubergine had been transformed into a dark, pulpy broth zigzagged with coral coloured cream. She wasn't entirely happy with this over-peppered version of one of her top vegetables, but it was worth trying just to see if it worked.
Our main courses raised the game. My hefty prawns in gentle tomato sauce curled round sticky Arborio rice and the finger licking that followed made sure every last scrap was history. My companion's moist chargrilled chicken breast with wild mushroom and parmesan polenta brought a host of Mediterranean flavours together.
Desserts of duo of chocolate mousse and tiramisu rounded off the meal on an intensely sweet note. The party was still in full swing as we took our courage in both hands and braved the elements on our way home.
Aquaclear focuses on tripling its size Dec 12 2006 By Graeme King, The Journal
Bar and restaurant operator Aquaclear is set to triple in size, and is already working on schemes in Sheffield and Cramlington.
The Wearside company is aiming to grow its estate from six outlets to 20 over the next three years.
Aquaclear, best known for its Blue Coyote and San Lorenzo restaurants in Newcastle , bought Popolo bar from the Gusto Group in February this year with the aim of opening a chain of outlets across the North.
Now operations director Stuart Young has revealed Aquaclear has signed a lease for a new Popolo in Sheffield, and is also looking to open more sites in two of three cities - Leeds, Nottingham and Liverpool .
Meanwhile, closer to home in Cramlington, Aquaclear is to extend its former Capella restaurant in the centre of the town into a new bar and restaurant.
Mr Young said: "We currently trade from six outlets, and over the next two to three years, we will take that to 20. The directors are very focused on growing the company to have quite a reasonable presence in the North-East and beyond."
Mr Young said the new Popolo in Sheffield would involve a £750,000 investment and create up to 40 jobs.
"We have signed an agreement for premises in Sheffield in the new Leopold Square leisure development - there will be bars, restaurants and a hotel there.
"We are in the process of raising some capital for that, as it is quite a big development for us as a company to create.
"It will be a two-floor unit, with the upper floor as a restaurant and the ground floor as a Popolo bar."
Mr Young said the new site would have dedicated outside areas ready for when the England and Wales smoking ban begins, and Aquaclear was focused on this aspect of its business right across the country.
Refurbishment work in Cramlington was also set to go ahead after Aquaclear won through on a planning appeal for the Capella site. The restaurant there will be run under the San Lorenzo brand which Aquaclear already operates in Gosforth, and the bar will also have an Italian theme.
Mr Young said: "We will start work at the turn of the year to create a new Italian restaurant and bar. We have acquired new premises adjacent to Capella to extend the site."
The whole development will cost £350,000, and staff numbers will go from six now to 30 after the refurbishment.
Aquaclear is also building an extension to its Ristorante Fiume and River Bar operation in Washington , which is due to open in the spring.
Ideal for a lunch treat Mar 24 2006 By Gordon Barr, The Evening Chronicle
SAN LORENZO, High Street, Gosforth, Newcastle
A bustling eaterie, open on Mother's Day from 1pm right through the day, and it is advisable to book a table. The restaurant has a rustic feel to it, and the food is Italian-based, inexpensive yet good quality and there's a great selection to choose from. The menu boasts an array of pizzas and pastas, as well as poultry, meat and fish main courses, the latter being a little pricier, but thoroughly tempting. If the food is good the service has to be on a par, and here San Lorenzo excels itself.
Aquaclear has 90 new jobs on menu Mar 17 2005 By Rebekah Ashby, The Journal
A fast-growing leisure company behind several popular North-East restaurants is to create up to 90 new jobs as it continues its acquisition trail.
Aquaclear, which owns Newcastle 's Blue Coyote and Ristorante Fiume, the River Bar in Washington and Capellas in Cramlington, has snapped up Pizzunzi on Gosforth High Street , Newcastle .
The Washington-based company, which also operates the award-winning Saltwater bar and restaurant in Nottingham, says it is also close to completing deals on two Teesside restaurants, creating up to 60 jobs.
Aquaclear has invested £200,000 in the Gosforth restaurant, which it has re-named San Lorenzo , and taken on several key staff from the former Al Forno restaurant in Jesmond.
Operations manager Stuart Young said: "We looked at buying the Gosforth one when it was Made In Italy about two years ago but we weren't successful at that time.
"We have kept a watchful eye on it because we always believed we could do something here so when we heard the owners were looking at disposing of it we made them an offer.
"We have re-done the bar area, changed the name, the tables are coming over from Italy and we are re-decorating it to make it more warm and welcoming.
"Al Forno's in Jesmond closed last year and we have brought most of the team together from there. The old owner is our general manager here and lots of the regulars from Jesmond have heard we are up and running and have found us already."
Aquaclear says it is in the advanced stages regarding a site in Teesside which it intends to open this autumn and another one which it plans to launch in 2006.
Mr Young says: "We can't give exact details on these yet but the ink is almost dry and we are very excited about them. "We think Teesside is a good next step and both of these restaurants will create another 20 to 30 jobs each." The company, which employs five head office staff, is lodging an appeal against a planning decision for an extension at its Cramlington site.
"It's disappointing that we were refused planning consent for a first floor extension because we wanted that to house separate toilets, rather than sharing with the bar below," said Mr Young. "The restaurant has never been opened and we are not interested in opening it until we can get it right."
It is also ploughing a further £200,000 into its Washington River Bar in a bid to keep up with demand, build a balcony on the side of the restaurant and create another 10 jobs. He said: "We are limited by size and are having to turn away a tremendous amount of customers at the weekend so we need to be a little larger and improve the kitchen facilities.
"We are always keen to look at any opportunities that come our way and have bought a number of sites out of receivership so that's becoming something of a speciality."
Quick bites Apr 1 2005 By The Journal
A Tyneside restaurant is to get new life breathed into it after being taken over by Aquaclear Leisure Ltd, which owns the Blue Coyote bar and restaurant in Newcastle and the River Bar and Ristorante Fiume in Washington.
The former Pizzunzi restaurant on Gosforth High Street has been renamed San Lorenzo and given a new menu.
Typical offerings include Funghi Dolcette - blue cheese stuffed mushrooms with a ripped leaf and apple salad or Carpaccio di Manzo - fine sliced beef with rocket leaves, parmesan and chef's own dressing - for starters with a wide and imaginative range of main courses.
These vary from pizzas, dishes such as Pollo Cajun - blackened chicken, sundried peppers and tomatoes topped with Caesar salad and parmesan, to Saltimbocca - escalopes of veal with Parma ham and sage.
The restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner and offers a three-course lunch special for £6.50 or £1 pizza and pasta at both lunchtimes and before 7pm.
Leisure outfit growing in style Apr 13 2004 By The Journal
A thriving leisure company is expanding out of the North-East after acquiring an award-winning restaurant and bar.
Aquaclear Limited, which owns Newcastle 's Blue Coyote restaurant and Washington 's Ristorante Fiume and the River Bar, has taken over Saltwater bar and restaurant in Nottingham 's Corner House development.
Saltwater scooped the accolade of Best New Restaurant for the Midlands and Wales in the restaurant industry's recent Theme Awards and Best New Restaurant in Nottingham at the Restaurant Awards.
Aquaclear plans to develop the site further by refurbishing the bar and introducing an extensive cocktail list.
Stuart Young, operations manager, said: "To be expanding outside of the North-East is a huge achievement for the company and we are looking forward to the challenge it presents."
The company recently appointed a new financial director, Kim Race, as it continues its expansion.
Ristorante Fiume Sep 17 2004 By The Evening Chronicle
Fiume is Italian for river. An apt name, then, for this bustling Italian restaurant which sits proudly on the banks of the Wear.
It was recommended to me by a friend I was meeting for a business lunch - and for more than a wee bit of gossip. "It's well worth leaving the city for," she persuaded me, so off we drove to Fatfield, an area I'm not that familiar with, but to which I shall be returning on the strength of this lunch alone.
It was nearly 1pm, and I had been warned the restaurant would be busy. It was so-so when we arrived, and heaving by the time we left. It seems people travel from all over to spend time at the Fiume .
Downstairs it's a wine bar, with new outdoor decking for when the sun decides to shine. Upstairs is the restaurant, which is tastefully decorated in Mediterranean colours. There are lunchtime specials, but we decided to go for the full choices on the main menu.
What sets Fiume apart from many Italian restaurants is the variety of meals on offer. You have your usual fare, but it is bolstered by the likes of frittata di mare - scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and prawns - or how about Maltese pasta (prawns, curry powder, spinach, garlic and cream)?
I was very nearly tempted by the latter, but the pair of us are watching our waistlines, so decided best not. Instead we both plumped for salads for starters. I say salads, but there was enough here for a full lunch.
My insalata di mare (£5.50) was packed with fresh tuna and salmon, greenlip mussels, prawns and squid. There were chunks of tuna, and all the seafood was served on a hefty bed of salad. It was exquisite.
Even more beautifully presented was the insalata tricolore (£4.50), with its tomatoes, mozzarella and avocado. "My god," was the reaction when the dish arrived. But she managed to finish the lot with a big grin on her face.
For main courses we kept it simple. Pasta please, penne with both, and alla eleonora (£5.75) for me and primavera (£5.20) for her. My dish sounded simple - courgettes, pine nuts, garlic and fresh basil with a touch of olive oil - and it tasted anything but. The flavours just melted into one another, and the pasta was oiled perfectly.
My pal's pasta was equally gorgeous. The cream sauce had a rich tomato taste, but what set the dish apart was the range and quantity of the roast vegetables mixed into it.
Staff were attentive and friendly. And look out for Kenny, a waiter acquaintance of old, who is as spot-on with his service as I'd remembered. I'd advise you to book as it was jam-packed by the time we left.
As I said, Fiume means river, and this restaurant is positively over-flowing with all things a good Italian should be.
Eating out: Fiume May 23 2003 By Neil Mckay, The Journal
A popular tv commercial shows an elderly customer bemoaning the fact that her High Street bank has been turned into a "trendy wine bar".
On the bank of the River Wear at Fatfield , Washington , that is the fate that has befallen an old Chester-le-Street and District Co-op store.
Downstairs is a bustling wine bar while upstairs is Fiume , an equally popular Italian restaurant.
The Friday night we visited Fiume it was packed, but the busy staff neglected nobody.
An eighteenth birthday party - we could tell by the balloons proclaiming the fact - was in full swing at nearby tables, although judging by the age of some of the diners, it was obviously a family affair with parents and grandparents in attendance.
The restaurant occupies an attractive position overlooking the river in the old part of Fatfield, a former colliery village long since swallowed up by Washington New Town.
We decided to visit after a recommendation from a friend, and finding Fiume was relatively straightforward, given the maze which constitutes Washington .
Only one wrong turn, a quick stop to ask a helpful local directions, and we were there.
We were certainly not disappointed when we arrived. Upstairs past the doormen standing guard outside the wine bar, and we were into the restaurant, which is decorated in the usual Italian style with subdued lighting and candles on the table.
The greeting was friendly and we were led straight to our table, although booking in advance, as we did, is recommended.
For starters my partner ordered mozarella panato e fritto, which was translated into breadcrumbed baby mozzarella, deep fried, and which she said was wonderful. I had the fresh mussels in wine, garlic, tomato and parsley served with garlic bread.
The garlic was certainly strong, as a pal remarked the following day! But the taste, nevertheless, was delicious.
The main menu consisted of the usual choices of pasta or pizza, as well as more ambitious dishes, such as Spedino Misto, a mixed kebab of marinated beef and chicken with roasted vegetables, served on a bed of rice with tomato and mild chilli sauce.
There was also Angiello de Taverna, sautéed lamb fillet with tarragon, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and white wine, all very exotic.
For the main course the better half had smoked salmon pizza with red onions and cream cheese, a dish she is fond of on holidays in France, and which she pronounced as almost as tasty as that in Normandy.
I chose the Polpettoni, described as Italian style meatballs in spaghetti. To be honest, the meat was rather tough, but the lively atmosphere dispelled any sense of dissatisfaction.
We skipped the dessert but had a vanilla latte coffee each, which was as refreshing as the menu described it. ith a bottle of the house rosé, the bill came to just over £31 for two. Un-beatable value.
As we left, more customers were queuing to take our place, proving what a popular attraction Fiume must be.
Venue's Latin flavour Apr 4 2003 – By Gordon Barr , The Evening Chronicle
A leading leisure company is bringing a taste of South America to Newcastle with plans to open a Latin-flavoured bar and grill in the city.
Aquaclear, which runs the River Bar and Ristorante Fiume restaurant at Washington , is opening Blue Coyote at Pilgrim Street next month in the former Mexican restaurant One Eyed Jacks.
The £200,000 project will bring together Argentinean, Mediterranean and North African cuisine under one roof with a 100-seater restaurant and an elegant cocktail bar which will serve snacks and tapas.
"Our plan is to create a smart, laid back, late night bar and restaurant where people will be able to have everything from drinks to a meal, from snacks to a coffee into the early hours," says Aquaclear managing director Joe Peel.
"We are going to offer an informal drinking and dining venue which will be more cosmopolitan and continental in style. While Newcastle has many great places, we feel this is the kind of venue the city is lacking in."
